New Mexico is scrambling to deal with heroin overdose rates and the popularity of the drug itself. The Albuquerque Journal looked into the millions being offered to help but there were different opinions on how the money should be spent.Adrian Baldonado was 16 years old when a family member first introduced him to the drug.“When I got addicted to heroin that was probably the biggest mistake that I’ve ever made,” Baldonado said.Baldonado said he wasted the next eight years of his life.“No matter how hard I would try I couldn't stay clean,” Baldonado said.Heroin addiction and how to treat it are issues New Mexico is grappling with.The Albuquerque Journal investigated what is being done to help.Federal officials have proposed increased funding and regulatory changes to expand the use of "medication assisted treatment," or MAT.Federal money is already flowing to New Mexico for MAT.Five New Mexico clinics were given $1.76 million in grants to expand medication-assisted treatment and to increase the number of providers who treat substance abusers.Rio Arriba County Sheriff James Lujan said the problem boils down to this:“It's easier to get the drugs than it is to get the help,” Lujan said.He said right now Rio Arriba County does not have a detox center and has very few substance abuse centers.More federal funds funneled into this community could help.According to the Journal, some health experts said giving an addict medication does not mean success. Addicts, they say, need support services too.Some say prevention is where state officials should invest, stressing the state needs to get to the root cause to turn our heroin epidemic around.

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. —

New Mexico is scrambling to deal with heroin overdose rates and the popularity of the drug itself. The Albuquerque Journal looked into the millions being offered to help but there were different opinions on how the money should be spent.

Adrian Baldonado was 16 years old when a family member first introduced him to the drug.

Advertisement

“When I got addicted to heroin that was probably the biggest mistake that I’ve ever made,” Baldonado said.

Baldonado said he wasted the next eight years of his life.

“No matter how hard I would try I couldn't stay clean,” Baldonado said.

Heroin addiction and how to treat it are issues New Mexico is grappling with.

The Albuquerque Journal investigated what is being done to help.

Federal officials have proposed increased funding and regulatory changes to expand the use of "medication assisted treatment," or MAT.

Federal money is already flowing to New Mexico for MAT.

Five New Mexico clinics were given $1.76 million in grants to expand medication-assisted treatment and to increase the number of providers who treat substance abusers.

Rio Arriba County Sheriff James Lujan said the problem boils down to this:

“It's easier to get the drugs than it is to get the help,” Lujan said.

He said right now Rio Arriba County does not have a detox center and has very few substance abuse centers.

More federal funds funneled into this community could help.

According to the Journal, some health experts said giving an addict medication does not mean success. Addicts, they say, need support services too.

Some say prevention is where state officials should invest, stressing the state needs to get to the root cause to turn our heroin epidemic around.